- 65-79 hour work weeks
- Forced to live in poverty because they’re underpaid
- Prohibited from drinking water during the work shifts
- Little or no breaks during the work day
- Sexual harassment
- Verbal and Physical abuse
- Fired if you’re pregnant or refuse to use birth control
“We would have no complaints if we at least got better pay. We are even ready to accept all kinds of punishment, but we just want fair and better pay – at least the pay that we deserve.”
Anika, Helper at JMS Garments (Bangladesh), paid $20 a month
Anika is simply one of them. These dire work conditions simply get worse for other workers. In late December 2007, Salma, a female worker at SQ Sweaters in Dhaka, became ill. Fearing she would be fired if she stayed home, she continued working. On Sunday, December 31, her condition worsened and she requested permission to leave the night shift. Her line supervisor refused. When Salma continued to worsen, she was eventually taken home around 3am. By then it was too late; Salma died at 4:30 am on Monday morning. Her coworkers were denied leave for the funeral service under the threat of losing their jobs. Salma is simply one among the thousands of individuals whose lives are being consumed by sweatshops.
I don’t expect each of you to spend everyday working for the betterment of labor practices around the world as we do here at the International Labor Rights Forum, but I do assume that everyone out there does care, some of you are quite aware of it, others not so much. The Shop with a Conscience Consumer Guide, produced annually by the ILRF and SweatFree Communities is one way in which you can help fight for better working conditions. The retailers in the guide have been approved based on their labor practices and are companies that do care about their workers’ well being.
I’ve pledged to buy one thing from the guide this year, as my contribution towards this cause. It’s a pledge I intend to carry out each year as a part of my role in making the world a better place. What do you plan on doing? Write a comment and share with us what you’ll be doing to support Anika, Salma and hundreds of thousands of women like them around the world.
Comments
re: Sometimes, all it takes is one person wanting to do the righ
I am in, i will get a copy , so that makes you and me :-) and i will also put recommend you in my blog- www.umamay.blogspot.com
re: Sometimes, all it takes is one person wanting to do the righ
I agree that not everyone can devote full attention and time to a cause, but a little effort from a lot of people goes a long way. Rather than pledge to buy one thing a year that doesn't come from sweatshops, perhaps the challenge should be to make it a habit and a routine. Because let's face it, 364 days of the year will not be erased with one day as a labor conscious consumer.
re: Sometimes, all it takes is one person wanting to do the righ
I completely agree and for many of us, we probably do way more than just once a year. However I can tell you that for so many people who haven't ever considered where their clothing comes from, this would be a huge first step since that would mean they are making a decision to probably buy something that is more expensive.
ILRF has been working to develop content for our website on things like 2nd hand shopping or simply not buying given that there are so many things to be done. For those that have the time to spend, there are even community campaigns like SweatFree Communities to become involved with. It'd be great to hear what ideas people have for every day opportunities for people to support the workers producing our clothing.
re: Sometimes, all it takes is one person wanting to do the righ
It is devastating to read the lack of options for many workers (esp women) around the world. I think that people often do not recognize that their products are made in such awful conditions in remote areas. It really is so easy to use the Shop with a Conscience guide.I hope that before people start their spring shopping they will consider becoming a responsible shopper.